New light into Brothels

ಕಾವ್ಯ ಕಡಮೆ

‘Born into Brothels’ is a documentary by Ross Kauffman and Zana Briski, focused on saplings of prostitutes who work in brothels and red light areas of Calcutta. It is an Academy award winning documentary produced in 2004.

Zana Briski selects eight children living in Brothels with their mothers. The children were almost ‘used to’ that environment, they washed clothes and utensils and go to play when their mothers were busy in earning bread. Their vision about brothels has become so casual, one of the girl Suchitra answers very coolly to the question of her aunt, “When you decided to join the line?”

Zana conducts a photography campaign for these eight children, Avijit, Manik, Puja, Shanti, Gour, Tapasi, Suchitra and Kochi. ‘Camera’ becomes most attractive source among the children. The purpose of Zana was to understand how the world looks like to these children.

She first shows some photos and asks the children to pick their favorite photo. Then she hands over the camera to the children and asks them to click few interesting ones.

Zana discovers unique sight of children grown up in brothels. They suffer from high insecurity and that was reflected in the photos clicked by them. They were taken to the Zoo and admitted to a schooling belonging to a Christian Missionary. Zana and Ross Kauffman brought them out from brothels and were shifted to hostels during the campaign.

This documentary also focuses on success of their project of bringing the children out of the brothels. Avijit, Gour. Tapasi and Kochi aims to join school whereas Manik, Puja, Shanti and Suchitra are still living in their houses hoping to come out.

I must say that the documentary is all about swimming against all odds and almost hoping against the lost hope!